President Joe Biden got some advice from famous actors who’ve portrayed presidents, as a tongue-in-cheek way to prepare for his State of the Union address Thursday night.
Earlier in the day, POTUS shared footage of his Zoom call on social media, showing the light-hearted conversation with actors Morgan Freeman, Geena Davis, Michael Douglas, Bill Pullman and Tony Goldwyn.
All five have played fictional U.S. presidents in either film or TV shows, and had some sage advice for Biden on how to deal with different crises.
You may’ve heard I’ve got a big speech coming up.
So, I thought I would hear from some folks who have done the job before – sort of. pic.twitter.com/7wFYVQm7Xm
— President Biden (@POTUS) March 7, 2024
“Well sir, in my capacity as president, all I had to deal with was a meteor,” joked Freeman, who has played two heads of state — President Tom Beck in “Deep Impact” and President Trumbull in “Angel Has Fallen.”
“Hope is the strongest force we have in this country,” Freeman added. “My advice is just keep telling us how you’re working for us and building hope.”
Biden can be seen in the video laughing and smiling from somewhere supposedly in the White House. Though at first, it look to be stock footage or footage shot separately, it does appear later in the clip that Biden is really reacting to the actors’ words.
“From my experience as Commander-in-Chief, I learned that having a loving partner changes everything,” said Michael Douglas, who played Andrew Shepherd in “The American President.”
Tony Goldwyn, who served as fictional President Fitzgerald Grant III in ABC’s “Scandal,” gave Biden advice on connecting with the American people.
“Tell them that you exist for them. Tell them that they make you a better man,” Goldwyn added.
Geena Davis, former star of ABC’s “Commander In Chief,” reminded Biden that there’s no crying in politics — a nod to Tom Hanks’ famous line from “A League of Their Own,” in which she also starred.
Meanwhile, Pullman, easily recognizable from the 1996 film “Independence Day,” told the president that “time will remember the importance of your words.”
Noticeably absent from the meeting was Martin Sheen, who played Josiah “Jed” Bartlet in “The West Wing,” as well as Harrison Ford, who served as President James Marshall in “Air Force One.”
Biden is set to address nation Thursday night at 9 p.m. ET. The State of the Union will be broadcasted live on ABC, CBS, Fox, NBC and PBS. It’ll also be available to stream at WhiteHouse.gov.
